30128 - Historical Geography in Ancient Times (1) (2nd cycle)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student is acquainted with the research tools and the typology of sources useful for the geographical and topographic analysis of the ancient world. He knows the evolution of the ancient geographical thought. He can set up and deepen the problems relating to the identification of sites and ancient territorial contexts. He can assess the implications of the relationship between man and environment and the impact of environmental factors on settlement patterns.

Course contents

From the map to the periplus. Conceptions of geographic space between Antiquity and Late Antiquity. Introduction to the concepts of "odological space" and "central place" theory.

Readings/Bibliography

• Stefano Magnani, Geografia storica del mondo antico, Bologna: Il mulino, 2004
• Educational material presented during the lessons
• 
  
• To the student's choice:
• Pietro Janni, La mappa e il periplo, Cartografia antica e spazio odologico, Pubblicazioni della Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia - Università degli Studi di Macerata 19, Roma: G. Bretschneider, 1984
  
• G. Aujac, La geografia nel mondo antico, Napoli: ESI, 1984

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons

Assessment methods

Oral examination. The interview will  evaluate critical and methodological skills developped  by the student, who is invited to get confronted with the texts covered during the course. The student's capability to face the sources and the bibliographical materials in order  to identify  useful information allowing to describe all cultural areas of the discipline will be assessed. The achievement by the student of an organic vision of the issues addressed during the course, the development of a critical attitude towards their use and his/her mastery of a specific scientific language will be assessed with a mark of excellence. A mechanical and / or mnemonic knowledge of the subject, a low capability of synthesis and analysis  and / or correct but not always appropriate language will lead to a decent evaluation; training gaps and / or inappropriate language - although in a context of a minimal knowledge and examination of the material - will lead to votes that will not exceed the sufficiency. Training gaps, inappropriate language, confusion while facing the reference materials offered during the course will be evaluated as unsatisfactory.

Teaching tools

The course will be organized in frontal lessons held by the teacher himself. He will sometimes make use of an overhead-projector, computer presentations and photocopies of the texts. All these materials can be found at the end of the course also on-line on the web-page of the course.

Office hours

See the website of Tommaso Gnoli